


April

by EmmyGreene



Series: Opening Lines. [5]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childbirth, F/M, Happy Ending, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 05:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12184056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmyGreene/pseuds/EmmyGreene
Summary: The birth of a baby reunites Daryl and Beth two years after she was taken.





	April

**Author's Note:**

> From the opening line   
> ‘It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen’   
> 1984 George Orwell 
> 
>  
> 
> Ok so I have had this half written forever and have never been happy with it but felt I just had to get it over and done with so I could move on!   
> Apologies for the graphic depiction of child birth!

Beth grimaced as she felt yet another contraction take over her body. They were manageable now but she knew that wouldn’t be the case for long. In the past two years she’d helped assist three deliveries, she knew this path well enough to know time was not on her side. ‘Five minutes apart’ she said to herself noting the time again. She was on the middle of a long highway in Virgina with no side roads or shelter in sight.   
‘It wasn’t supposed to be like this’ she mumbled to herself as she pressed on. She figured she had about an hour left of being able to drive before she’d have to give in to her body and deliver this baby whether she was ready or not- and she certainly was not. She was pretty sure on the date this baby was conceived and accordingly, it wasn’t due for another three weeks. She’d planned to find somewhere safe by then, some kind of community so that if, heaven forbid, the worst happened during the birth, the baby stood a chance. She’d met two men on the road a few weeks ago who told her it was worth heading out this way, there were a few communities left. They’d crossed paths with them briefly but chosen not to stay, still desperately hoping to be reunited with their own. Beth had wished them well but she knew the chances of them finding their people were slim to none. She’d lost her own ‘family’ just over two years ago now, longer than she was with them really. Everything since then had been hell. Right up until she’d had enough and driven away in the middle of the night, five months pregnant and desperate, she’d decided to head out on her own. She’d done OK for a while, headed north to avoid the unbearable heat of the south but it had become harder and harder to move, to find supplies and now this… ‘Shit’ it happened again. She slowed the car to a stop and waited the contraction out.   
She continued to drive on, lasted at least twenty minutes until she felt the sudden gush of her waters spread down her legs and knew it was time to admit defeat. She pulled off the road and made her way to the back of the truck. She’d gathered supplies ready for this moment but hoped it wouldn’t happen like this. She kept her sole firearm- an big old rifle like her Daddy’s next to her, just in case. An hour passed and the contractions came on quicker and quicker until they were less than a minute apart. She tried to stay silent, crouched on all fours and tried to breathe through the pain, or grit her teeth into a towel, anything to suppress the noise but it wasn’t enough. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined anything could hurt this badly. 

‘You hear that?’ Aaron asked as he slowed his car down.   
‘Hear what?’ Eric asked from beside him.   
An indescribable noise broke through the silence.  
‘Oh that’ Eric said, his voice hushed.   
They could see a truck coming into view up ahead so slowed down, weapons ready. As they approached the noise grew louder.  
‘Going to attract every walker for miles’ Aaron said nervously.  
‘They’re in pain whoever they are’ Eric said gently, ‘we should help’  
‘You sure that’s a good idea?’ Aaron asked  
‘What if it was one of us in there?’  
Aaron gave him a knowing look and the two jumped out, leaving the others in their car, all armed and ready just in case.   
The two men slowly crept up towards the truck. There was silence for a few moments before another scream filled the air.   
Aaron pressed himself against the side of the truck and slid along it until he reached the back.   
Eric did the same on the opposite side and in unison they turned and opened the back door of the trucks cabin. To their surprise they were confronted with a blonde woman red faced and in the throes of childbirth.  
‘Don’t shoot’ she pleaded ‘please’.  
‘No, no’ Aaron said, immediately jumping up.  
‘You on your own?’ he asked  
She couldn’t talk but nodded.   
‘Eric, call the others over’ Aaron said as he approached her.   
‘Help’ she moaned out.  
‘I’m not much good to you I’m afraid… I don’t know what to do but we’ll help’ Aaron said.  
Beth continued to cry into her towel, occasionally letting out an almost primal scream, she couldn’t help it now. She was relieved to see others, even if they were only two men and she had no idea who they were.   
‘Just stay with me’ she breathed out.   
‘Of course’ he said, walking towards the back where her meagre supplies lay. 

Eric headed back towards the car   
‘Woman in labor’ he called out.  
‘Shit’ the two men said in unison.   
Jesus looked over at Daryl ‘you got any idea what to do?’   
‘I dunno shit about deliverin’ babies but we gotta keep them safe. Get out and stand around the truck, make sure no walkers come runnin, or anyone else’   
‘It’s going to be OK Jesus said in a calm voice ‘we’ve got this’.   
Eric smirked ‘actually three gay men and a redneck; we couldn’t be more out of our depth but we’ll do what we can’ 

Inside the truck Beth had shifted onto her back as Jesus approached and jumped in.  
‘I need to push’ she said desperately… ‘someone needs’ she stopped and repositioned herself, grimacing again ‘to catch it’   
‘Oh, oh’ Aaron suddenly got flustered.   
Jesus stuck his head back out ‘anyone caught a baby before?’ he asked. Eric and Daryl just stared and he nodded ‘just thought I’d check’ he looked up at Aaron ‘you got this?’  
‘I wouldn’t mind a hand’   
Beth continued to groan and closed her eyes as she pushed for the first time. She felt her body taking over- it knew what to do. Aaron cautiously positioned himself between her legs, trying to focus on the task at hand.   
Beth tried to prop herself up on her elbows, but couldn’t   
‘I…can…’ she couldn’t get the words out she breathed slowly then tried again ‘can someone get behind me and prop me up’ she panted softly ‘I’ve delivered others, I’ll talk you through it’   
Gingerly Jesus came around behind her, sat down until she positioned herself against him she looked at Aaron ‘can you see a head?’ she asked   
‘I, umm, I don’t know what I’m looking at’ he looked at Jesus who smirked   
Another contraction took over Beth who panted into it again until she gave another big push and to Aaron’s surprise, the entire head of a baby appeared   
‘There’s a head, what do I do?’   
Beth reached down to feel the baby’s head she closed her eyes and waited before her body took over and pushed again. The baby slid out into Aaron’s arms.  
‘It’s a baby’ he said tears of relief filling his eyes.   
Jesus squeezed Beth’s shoulders as she gestured for the baby and pulled it to her chest.   
‘Gotta wait for the placenta’ she said between sobs. She looked down at the baby in her arms, the most beautiful vernix covered head she’d ever seen in her life.   
‘It’s a girl’ Aaron added still marvelling.  
‘It’s a girl’ Jesus repeated louder and outside the truck Daryl and Eric beamed at each other.  
Beth continued pushing until the placenta was out then looked up at Aaron ‘can you get one of those receiving blankets for me?’ she asked. She looked exhausted and he got the blanket and wrapped it loosely around the baby.   
‘Congratulations’ he said  
Jesus nodded and looked back at the woman he was holding up.   
‘You didn’t get a chance to tell me your name’ he said.   
‘Beth’ she replied with a faint voice   
‘I’m Jesus’ he said in response. She smirked.   
‘Not THE Jesus, it’s a nickname’ he continued.  
‘This baby got a name?’ he asked.   
‘April’   
‘Nice name, how did you pick it?’   
‘I was reading 1984’ her speech was breathy and she paused a while before continuing ‘when I found out I was pregnant, I’d just read the first page and there it was…meant to be’

 

Outside the truck Daryl lit up a smoke and began pacing.   
‘The baby doing ok?’ Daryl asked as Aaron reappeared   
Aaron shrugged ‘I don’t know, seems healthy enough’   
‘She on her own?’   
‘Seems that way’ 

Inside the truck Jesus had helped Beth prop up against some blankets so she could nurse the baby.  
‘Thank you’ she said looking at him, ‘I was so worried when I went into labor, that I’d be on my own out here with her’   
‘Perfect timing’ he responded.  
Aaron reappeared   
‘Aaron, this is Beth, and April’ Jesus said warmly   
Aaron nodded ‘Beth, are you on your own?’  
She nodded   
‘There’s a few of us here and we’ve got a community, well two communities actually, we’ve got a doctor at one and we’d like you to come back with us, if you’d like to?’  
Beth went silent. Her relief at the safe birth of April had begun to give way into fear, she didn’t know these men, didn’t know their intentions.   
‘How many of you are there?’ she asked  
‘At Alexandria? Maybe 70, a few less at the Hilltop’  
‘No, I mean, right now, I know its not just the two of you….am I surrounded?’   
Aaron shook his head. There’s another two outside, Eric, my partner and Daryl, our resident redneck.  
At this Beth’s face changed ‘Daryl?’ she said quickly, ‘whats his last name?’   
‘Dixon’ Aaron answered.  
‘Get him, I,I, I know him’   
Aaron looked surprised but called out to him.  
‘Dixon, get in here, says she knows you’   
Daryl met Eric’s eyes to give a confused look before heading around to the back of the truck  
‘Oh my god’ she said as she lat eyes on him. Older, scruffier yet cleaner and undeniably Daryl Dixon.  
‘Beth’ he shouted climbing up.  
He wanted to throw his arms around her but there was a baby in the way and she was naked save for a blood soaked blanket thrown over her.   
She reached out a hand to him and he placed his own in it but she pulled him forward until he was almost lying next to her.  
‘Oh my goodness’ she broke down crying, relief washed over her again. After all this time, after years on her own, thinking everyone was gone here he was. The last person she had left in the world and she thought she’d never see him again.   
‘Daryl’ she breathed softly.   
He sat himself up next to her and she noticed tears filled his eyes also.  
‘We’ll…. Wait outside’ Jesus said, standing up   
Beth nodded and Daryl spoke ‘its Maggie’s sister’   
‘Wow’ Aaron breathed, leaving them to tell Eric the good news.

‘I….I dunno what to say’ Daryl said.   
Beth stroked the babies face and looked up at Daryl, smiling.  
‘You don’t have to say anything’ she said. ‘I’m so happy to see you’  
He nodded.  
‘Maggie?’ she asked.  
‘She’s there, at the Hilltop, with her son’  
Beth’s tears began again.  
‘I don’t know what to ask first’ she said.  
‘Rick’s there too… Michonne, Carl, Ass Kicker, Carol’s nearby’   
Beth shook her head.  
‘It’s too much’ she said.  
‘Yer comin’ back with us’ Daryl said.  
It wasn’t a question.  
Beth nodded.  
‘Ya out ‘ere with anyone else?’  
She shook her head then nodded towards the baby, now asleep at her breast.  
‘Just her’  
‘She got a father?’   
Beth shook her head slowly ‘No…I mean, well, it’s a long story’  
‘Dun need to tell me’ he said.  
‘I will, just not now, I just want to enjoy this’   
She leaned into Daryl, pressing herself against him.  
‘I missed you so bad Daryl Dixon’ she breathed.   
He gently placed an arm around her.  
‘Missed ya too’ he mumbled.   
‘is it safe there?’ she asked him.  
‘Safer. No wheres safe anymore’  
She nodded.  
‘I’m tired Daryl’   
He held her a little tighter.  
‘Let us know when yer ready, we’ll take ya home’ he whispered.  
‘Home’ she nodded ‘I’d like that’

He left her in the back for a moment and headed out.

‘You tell them we’re on the way?’ he asked Aaron who nodded in response.  
‘I’m gonna sit in the back with her. Jesus, can you drive this back? Slowly?’   
‘Sure. Are you Ok?’   
Daryl nodded ‘course, little shocked. You tell them who she was?’  
‘Didn’t know if we should?’ Eric said  
‘let ‘em know then lets head, she’s tired, needs to get off the road’  
Daryl climbed back in with her and before long they took off.   
He moved straight back to her side and she immediately fell in against him.  
‘You smell the same’ she whispered.  
He placed his arm back around her, the baby nestled safely between them.  
‘I’ve got yer, both’ve yers’ he said, pressing his lips to her forehead.


End file.
